Neal Announces $735,000 Earmark for the Berkshire Innovation Center’s Cybersecurity Learning and Testing Facility

Pittsfield, MA - Today, Congressman Richard E. Neal joined Ben Sosne, Executive Director for the Berkshire Innovation Center (BIC), Pittsfield Mayor Peter Marchetti, state and local officials, and local business leaders and stakeholders to announce a $735,000 earmark for the BIC's Cybersecurity Learning and Testing Facility. This allocation was made possible through Congressionally Directed Spending (CDS) from the U.S. Department of Commerce. Congressman Neal included funding for this project in the Fiscal Year 2026 spending bill.

Since opening in 2020, the BIC's 20,000-square-foot facility has provided regional manufacturers and STEM businesses with advanced R&D equipment, state-of-the-art lab and training facilities, and opportunities to collaborate with renowned research partners, as well as internship and apprenticeship programs for local students. Through collaborations with area businesses, educational institutions, entrepreneurs, and industry leaders, the BIC helps foster technological advancement and workforce development, thereby strengthening the region's manufacturing sector and enabling businesses to grow and compete in an ever-changing economy.

"Today is a great day for the City of Pittsfield, as we welcome the news that the Berkshire Innovation Center will be expanding its capabilities with the help of a $735,000 earmark I was proud to secure," said Congressman Richard E. Neal. "Whether it's our local governments, our educational institutions, or our water systems, sophisticated challenges stemming from cybersecurity threats are confronting every sector of our economy. With the establishment of the Cybersecurity Learning and Testing Facility, the BIC will be able to prepare the next generation of our skilled workforce by providing meaningful hands-on training, ensuring our communities have the resources needed to protect critical infrastructure and safeguard public services."

Funding secured by Congressman Neal will help establish the Cybersecurity Learning and Testing Facility, the next phase of the BIC's Manufacturing Academy. An industry-led educational hub, the Manufacturing Academy seeks to close the knowledge gaps of local supply chain capabilities and the needs of larger manufacturers through ongoing education, training, and technology assistance. As one piece of a larger educational module, the Cybersecurity Learning and Testing Facility will serve as a centralized hub for monitoring, detecting, and responding to cybersecurity threats within manufacturing facilities, with a focus on enhancing resilience and safeguarding critical assets. The facility will provide essential monitoring of systems, networks, and applications for supply chain manufacturers serving the defense industrial base, while supporting workforce development to strengthen cybersecurity in other local industries and municipalities.

"Congressman Neal has been a tremendous partner to the BIC, and his support is helping us address a growing challenge facing manufacturers across our region," said Ben Sosne, Executive Director for the Berkshire Innovation Center. "Cybersecurity requirements are becoming increasingly complex, particularly for companies in the defense supply chain. Our goal is to bring together manufacturers, technology providers, and partners like General Dynamics and Synagex to help companies navigate these requirements and take practical steps forward. This is an opportunity to build something meaningful in Western Massachusetts that helps our manufacturers compete and grow."

Under guidelines issued by the Senate and House Appropriations Committees, members of Congress requested CDS funding for projects in their state for Fiscal Year 2026. CDS requests were restricted to a limited number of federal funding streams, and only state and local governments and eligible non-profit entities were permitted to receive CDS funding. This project is one of fifteen CDS projects submitted by Congressman Neal, investing in a variety of initiatives throughout the First Congressional District of Massachusetts.

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